This salad from Anne Lindsay’s New Light Cooking is a summer staple at our house. It couldn’t be easier to make: just mix together black beans or kidney beans, chopped red pepper, cooked corn, celery, scallions and cilantro. Toss with a simple vinaigrette and you’ve got a perfect salad for lunch, dinner, picnic or potluck. Be sure to rinse the beans to reduce the sodium. If you don’t like cilantro, try basil or parsley. You can also add feta cheese to make it a heartier dish.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Look for canned beans with no preservatives, such as PC Blue Menu brand. I use Marukan rice vinegar and President’s Choice Old-Fashioned Dijon Mustard.